Napa Community Animal Response Team

Emergency Preparedness for Animal Owners

Dr. Claudia SonderFebruary 2, 2019

• “This is the new wildfire risk and we can’t defend you from this.”

• Know your risks

• California:▫ Fire▫ Flood▫ Earthquake

• Plan and Drill contingencies faced in most recent disaster

Disaster Preparedness

Stages of Preparedness

• Individual: You and your animals

• Local Neighborhood

• City and County

• First Responder

• State/National: Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act

Individual Preparedness for Large Animals

• Backpack with:▫ Recent photos: side

views and front ▫ Coggins test▫ Vaccine history▫ Microchip▫ Contact information▫ Luggage tags/Mane▫ Zip ties, plastic bags

• ER Kit in Duffle bag• Tarps, temp fencing• Knife, scissors• Wire, bolt cutters• Bandage supplies• Headlamps/lights• Batteries• Duct tape• Meds- feed in cooler

Animal ID Options

• Microchip

• Collar/tags

• Mane clip

• Luggage tags (crates)

• Wax crayon

• Sharpie on hoof or horn

• Ag spray paint marker

• Initials 1-#

Individual Preparedness for Small Animals

• Crates clean, ready• Know evacuation plan/sites• Collapsible water bowls• Large water bottle• Food, baggies• Hand wipes/Baby wipes• Leash, Collar, Microchip• Recent photos of pet• Vaccine records• Medications• Practice once monthly

• Shelter in place• Prioritize human life• Leave food and water, toilet

seat up• Pictures/feed plans on wall• Perimeter fencing• Do not lock in kennel, barn• Evac plan- stock trailer, ice

block

Fire Preparedness Around Barn

• Have a plan, post and practice it

• Red Flag/Flood warnings…stage

• Barn door/ perimeter fence

• Defensible space- bulldoze

• Emergency kit/numbers

• Pictures/feed instructions posted- vices

• Water/sprinklers/fire extinguisher

• Head light, leather gloves

• Halters/leads for each horse

• Mane clips- ID pre filled

• Remote hay storage

Self Preparedness & Prevention

• Evacuation plan A&B

• Shelter in place plan- 7 days

• Drill with neighbor/friend

• Who will load, evac when you can’t get there?

• Will your animals cooperate?

• Is there someone in this room you can plan with?

• Road access

Home Preparation• Insurance update

• Narrated video tour of property, home

• Vital documents archived

• Generator/backup battery

• Chain saw

• Sprinklers on roof

• Annual gutter, brush, combustible check-May

• Proximity to creek beds

• Communication plan- landline, radio, solar charger

Train Your Animals to Load Up

• Hauling arrangements- trailer- share with someone across town?

• Trailer maintenance

• Practice once monthly- all animals: different conditions

• Leather halter

• Leg wraps, bell boots

• Practice every time you hear of local fire. Stage Red Flag!!!!

Trailer Inspection List

• Tires• Floorboards• Latches, Hitch• Interior/exterior lighting• Escape hatches• Tie rings• Fuel in truck, jump cables• Chain saw• ER blanket/Flares• Fire extinguisher• First aid kit• Hose/buckets/feed

San Diego Wildfires - loading

5 min rule – Evacuation teams

Halters, leads, tags, tied up and ready

Chickens

• Shelter in place• Release from coop if unable to

evacuate• Leave large amount food and

water• Do not load if sick/quarantined• Can be trained to load -practice• Crates in horse trailer. Luggage

tags• Expect some loss- wildlife

Exotics

• Most can be trained to crate- practice!

• Snakes/lizards/Koi- leave notes on cages

• Label food/instructions

• Prepare caretakers

• Dispatch- size, temperament, location of transport mechanism

• Pillow cases ☺

Evacuation Sites

• Central info/messaging• Shelter in place-stage• Meds, feed supps in cooler• Take pictures-recent• Leave early• Plan two routes• Ice in trailer on hot day• Collapsible water buckets• Hay and water for 72 hr• Have a back up plan

NVHA Shelter

Neighborhood Plan

Get to Know Your Neighbors

• Make arrangements to check on each other• Share evacuation plans-site inspection• Pool resources such as generators, water tanks,

trailers• Create evacuation authority agreements• Share ER kit/ medical records locations• Designate a safe meeting zone• Maintain animal location map/priority• Practice/ Drill/ Red Flag Stage

Recommended Training

• FEMA Website- training ICS 100,200,700

• Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

• First Aid – animals

• Hauling safety/inspection

• Fire line safety

• Ham radio training

• Downed power pole

• Join Napa CART to select training program that suits your interests

• Sheltering

• Well checks/ field shelter

• Communications

• Evacuation

• Outreach

• Volunteer management

• Donation management

Napa CART Training Dates - 2019• 3/16 - Small Animal Shelter and

Shelter in Place• 4/20 - Large Animal Shelter and

Shelter in Place• 5/16 - Dispatch and Hotline• 6/15 - Evacuation and

Transportation• 7/20 - Communications, PTSD

and Home Preparedness• 8/10 - Activation Drill• 9/21 - Safe Animal Handling and

Vitals• See training opportunities on Website

& FaceBook- share

Trailer and Equipment Acquired

• 3 horse slant trailer with ramp

• SA staging trailer

• Evacuation trailers

• Glides/LAL/Mannequin

• Evac kits

• First Aid materials

• Shelter set up materials including 500 panels

• Hand held radios

Volunteers Needed in Key Areas

Preliminary Animal Response StatisticsNapa CNLU Fire Response

• Evacuations▫ 740 Horses to NVHA, VBEC, Vintage Farm and Solano Fairgrounds

⚫ 18% required some form of medical care▫ 250 Ruminants to Vintage Farm, Solano Fairgrounds and Ag for

Youth.▫ 27 cats, 2 dogs, 35 birds, 21 chickens evacuated by Napa CART

• Estimated Napa County Large Animal Losses▫ 8 horses▫ 500 ruminants

• Volunteer hours▫ Community volunteers: 1216 hours based solely on sign-in sheets▫ Large Animal DVMs: 1328 hours- Nor Cal AEP

• Work with OES to utilize existing services: food, volunteer, donation management, at each shelter site.

• Animal shelter support entities meet quarterly

• Develop “211” information line for pet owners which leads to animal specific dispatch requests.

• Develop Nixle alert for certified haulers with staging information

• Alert system on red flag days- stage as county and as response entity.

• Identify LA shelter locations throughout county- fire/flood

• Stockpile supplies throughout county

Lessons Learned

Homework Assignment

• Make a Plan for you and your animals…so that you can help us!- Due 3/1/19

• Practice it

• Share your progress with us on FB

• Join Napa CART

• Support your local animal relief groups

• www.napacart.org

Questions?